Nothing donated is written off by this inn.
My list includes:
- Memberships (Chambers and Professional Associations)
- Online Directories
- Domain Name Rego
- Hosting
- Online Reservation Service
- Rack cards
- Print Ads (which never amounts to a hill of beans so I won't waste another penny on these no matter what!)
- TV Local station slideshow Ad (which never amounts to a hill of beans so I won't waste another penny on these no matter what)
- Postage
- envelopes/paper (for gift certificates, business cards, mailings)
I track all discounts for my own reporting purposes. I do not claim discounts, that doesn't make any sense - altho YES I do offer it to get people to book a room - so in effect it is marketing, but it is just a rate I offer, I can't deduct my rates. It is not a loss, it is not an expense. One good reason - let's say we raise our rates and ended up making the same as last year. Boo hoo did we not increase occupancy? Well actually since we gave away fewer discounts or lesser discounts we had less rooms to flip and MADE money.
My total for marketing was about $2000 for 2007. I won't go above that if I can help it. A one-time big chunk was $450 for a print ad in a very special brochure. WASTE OF MONEY, again.
If I required a more expensive listing to be FEATURED INN on a directory because there were 10 inns near me I would have to do that, but there aren't so I don't.
PS the formula is diff for each inn and each location. Most bang for your buck is my formula. I recently emailed a Balloonist (no not the clown variety but hot air type) to let him know that IF he joined a certain assoc he would increase bookings dramatically. The balloon cost $50k and the insurance is sky-high (excuse the pun) so he cannot join - but if he did, his return would be worth it..